Westland, the pioneering UK manufacturer of food and accessories for the bird food market, remains the only bird food producer to achieve accreditation from The British Retail Consortium.

Earlier this month, Westland’s Driffield facility was told that it had retained its ‘A’ grade status from the BRC for the fourth year, making its products a safe bet for both retailers and consumers.

The continued success follows a two day annual audit of its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Driffield, which produces the leading brands Nature’s Feast, Peckish and Bucktons. The facility surpassed expectations across a stringent set of criteria, covering everything from processes, hygiene and safety, to the full traceability of ingredients.

The BRC award is testament to Westland’s commitment to excellence, quality produce and highly trained staff. In addition to the status, Westland can also provide significant support to suppliers through investments in media and marketing. This includes in-depth customer insight which has led to more effective product positioning across all bird food brands and a £1 million TV and communication plan for Peckish.

James Farnsworth, General Manager at Westland said: “We are delighted to remain the only bird food manufacturer to achieve the BRC accreditation. The BRC is much more than just an accreditation for us. It’s about creating a culture in which everyone in the company recognises the importance of product safety and the quality of our products.

“The status, which we have achieved at Grade ‘A’ for the fourth year running, acts as an assurance to our customers that all our products, have been produced safely by experienced and professional staff, to the highest standards, using the best ingredients.

Keith Nicholson, Marketing Director at Westland said “In addition, we remain the only manufacturer to actively drive awareness of the bird food sector in national advertising across the UK. We have invested in TV, print and magazine advertising to ensure that more people than ever realise the importance of feeding birds and flock to our retailers to buy our products. Last year alone, we invested £1m in TV and communications, achieving a sales growth of 148%, compared to the previous year.”

The BRC is a leading trade association providing certificates for manufacturers who can prove they implement best practice across their manufacturing processes. The BRC Global Standards are a leading global safety and quality certification programme, used throughout the world by over 17,000 certified suppliers in 90 countries

For further information about the products included in the Nature’s Feast, Peckish and Bucktons ranges, visit www.peckishbirdfood.com, www.bucktons.co.uk or  www.naturesfeast.co.uk